Entre Toi et Moi
by lovelyxznv31
Summary: In a blink of an eye, he became her secret. TxG Threeshot!
1. I Believe

_A/n: I can't sleep, so I write... I guess hahaha. Entre toi et moi is french... and means between you and me, just in case you wanted to know.  
Disclaimer: I dont own HSM or Ron Pope lyrics. _

"**I see a holy host of sweet confusion,  
And we all bleed but some men choose to stand up,****  
Stand up straight when there's something to lose.**"

**I BELIEVE, **RON POPE.

"Yeah, I swear I'm okay. Thanks for calling though, I didn't want to worry you" she smiled, nodding as the pleasing voice soothed her agitated mind at least for a second, "I'll be home in a day. I can't wait to see you. Okay, love you too. Bye"

Snapping her phone shut, her light brown eyes wandered around the hotel room with annoyance. Everything was irritating her as she let herself sink in the horrendous beach room she was at. The dark beige walls were decorated with a huge painting of a beach, the very blue ocean almost hurt her eyes. The sand was too yellow and the birds a bit deformed. The sun looked like it was drawn by a three year old, not by the professional interior designer the hostess had informed her mother and herself proudly. Everything looked awful and she hated the beach. The salty smell of the ocean nauseated her and made her eyes itchy.

Gabriella Montez sighed and ran a hand through her thick dark long hair. She stroked it from the top of her head to the middle of her back, as an attempt to calm herself. It didn't work, the way her hair was untidy because of the weather just helped her feeling more weird. She knew she was grumpy, but she had all the reasons in the world to it. She had been dreaming with this day for a long time, since she was 10 years old. The girl always wondered how she'd feel when she finally became 17, almost an adult.

She was 10 minutes from being 17 and Gabriella felt like shit.

Yes, she had succeeded living many, many days, it should be reason enough to celebrate, but she was not in the mood for it. Not when she was far from home, not when her friends and boyfriend weren't there to be with her tonight. More importantly, not when someone's promise of being the first person to wish her happy birthday meant so much. A promise she knew wouldn't be kept, because 1) he was only a guy from school and 2) she didn't know anything about him.

For two years, her boyfriend had been the one she waited impatiently to call after midnight and fill her ears with lovable words and hopes of a great birthday and year.

Now… she only waited for Troy Bolton's wish of having a perfect birthday, as if it meant the world to her. As if they were good friends at school. The fact was, they never really spoke outside the library, yet here she was, staring at her cell phone like it was a bomb ready to explode.

"He won't call. Not after Friday" she mumbled to herself, feeling her heart constrict as the painful reality hit her like a cold midnight shower, "Never expect too much, Gabriella"

She looked down at her crossed legs covered with dark jeans, contrasting immensely with the red wool blanket on top of the king sized bed. Why use something as warm as wool on a beach hotel? A freaking building surrounded by water and sand. She was in Hawaii, God damn. It was supposed to be hot 24-7. No woolens were needed. It just itched and made no sense. It only took her more time to throw it out of the bed when ready to sleep.

She growled lowly as she pushed up from the bed, walking to the balcony of her suite. Yes, she had a balcony with a view to the sea. An ocean that she didn't feel like seeing. She wanted Albuquerque's desert again. She missed seeing no water. Who needed water anyway? Okay… the whole world, but not her. Not now.

"Hmmph" she rubbed one lazy hand across her face, bending over to rest her elbows on the balcony's edge. Her body felt immediately amazing as she stepped outside, freeing her tortured self from the inferno that was her room. It was like her whole body was thanking her, her feet tickling pleasurably with the contact of the slightly cold wooden floor under her. She squeezed her eyes shut, feeling the wind blew past her, moving her once pulled back hair in front of her face. Gabriella raised her hand and brushed it off her eyes, opening them slowly again.

She gasped as her eyes locked with the biggest moon she had ever seen. She felt the awkward urge to go downstairs to the beach, to feel the silent water lapping at her bare feet. The smell of the beach and the sound of the waves crashing into the shore didn't disturb her that much this time. The very narrow strip of sand was weakly illuminated by the stars and the full moon. There were still crazy surfers inside the water, even in the middle of the night, challenging Mother Nature.

_So immature, _Gabriella thought to herself, shaking her head lightly. Why to put life in danger just to surf when they probably knew they were surrounded by hungry sharks? She couldn't understand why guys loved big adventures, why proving themselves were so important. Troy Bolton was like those type of guys – even if she didn't know him very well, from what she observed from him she could bet he wouldn't mind getting in the ocean in the middle of the night, just to feel… _ali__ve._

Gabriella considered it stupidity though. Being immature was always a huge turn off to her. It was actually one of the reasons that made her fall in love so strongly with her boyfriend Connor Matthews two years ago. Even when they were only 14, he was way more mature than every other guy she knew. They liked the same things and always joined the same clubs. The love for reading was present in both of them, and they shared the mutual adoration for getting good grades.

She couldn't help but comparing her perfect boyfriend with Troy Bolton. They were completely opposite in everything, but for two days now, she was finding stupidity attractive. She was thinking everything the school's God did, amazing.

_Please don't turn into a fangirl_, her mind begged, but she smiled at the only thought of him. Troy Bolton was the most beautiful boy in school, captain of the soccer team and every girl's dream.

Gabriella was the nerd. Troy was the jock.

The jock that had an owner already or at least that was what she thought last time she saw him nuzzling Anna Montez's neck… the one she was obliged to call family. The cousin that detested her. Anna was the one who taught Gabriella that jocks and nerds couldn't talk, look at each other or mix.

Oh, such a crazy world.

She ignored the way her stomach tied up in knots as her mind put together the perfect name of her perfect cousin and sighed. Anna was everything Gabriella was never going to be. She was tall, beautiful and popular. Guys fell on their knees watching her stroll around school everyday. They thought she was sexy and a Goddess on earth. Gabriella was small, she didn't have as much curves as Anna had, she was bullied by her own cousin and the VIP group of East High considered her, her best friend Taylor and her boyfriend Connor unnecessary dorks. To them, they weren't worth anything.

Who understood how high schools worked in US anyway?

The thing was, she was extremely naïve for believing Troy Bolton would actually be the first one to wish her happy birthday. She couldn't really remember why he promised doing that silly thing anyway; she just helped him with his math homework – something she'd do for anyone, even if his friends used to make her life hard as hell. But the way he said the words were so sincere. The way he had thanked her was still making her heart flutter.

_Please, no fangirling. _

* * *

_It was free period and that meant walking around the school all by herself was dangerous. There were a few jocks that had no class right now as well, and having jocks around equaled to her being locked in the girl's bathroom or on the floor as she watched her books being kicked and ripped in pieces. Gabriella knew there was only one place a nerd like her would be secure at least till her next class started._

_She could worry later about if she would get home bruised or not. _

_Now she needed to get to the library.  
_

_Gabriella's small and slender legs stormed down the corridor, looking around her as much as she could, thanking God and every other saint for putting a clear way ahead. She couldn't help but wonder if the horrible days would end when she graduated high school or if what she read about bullying existing at every age was really true. She hoped not; she had a hard time already. Thinking it could last forever would just make the violence rates increase, because she could swear one day she'd freak out and punch every jock in school in the face._

_Watching as she got closer to the place she wanted so much to be right now, she sighed in relief. The library was safe enough for her to hide till next period. Gabriella carefully pushed forward the heavy door and peeked through. The wooden desks and chairs were unoccupied and except for Mrs. Goldstein, there were only two students inside. She easily recognize the curly black hair of no one else than Trisha Papadelias, the exchange student from Greece that was in her English class and a boy dressed in a red hoodie in the very far corner of the big room. She couldn't see very much of him but his chestnut bangs that covered his forehead were shining powerfully as the sunlight invaded the library through the window. It was almost like he was a statue, his right elbow rested on top of the table, holding securely the side of his face as he read a book, a pencil in between his parted lips._

_Curious to know who the guy was, Gabriella made her way along the desks, smiling politely as she passed by Trisha and nodded her head in greet. The boy didn't lift his eyes as she clumsy bumped into a chair as she walked to the one of many free desks opposite to his. She collapsed on the chair and seated her Spanish book in front of her as her cheeks still conserved the flushed pink tone from earning an irritated glance from the librarian. _

_Finally lifting her eyes from the table as she calmed down, she let her brown orbs take another glance at the red hooded boy. She narrowed her eyes and observed as he moved slightly for the first time in five minutes, shifting in his seat. Gabriella bit her lip as he took note of something he read on the book to a piece of paper, the pencil never coming back to his thin parted lips as he kept tapping it nosily against the table._

_She was hypnotized by his body language, so intrigued by him that Gabriella didn't hear the sound of the librarian's footsteps, walking towards the corner of the room they were. As her brain finally seemed to function again, the woman was already there, her back in front of her as she glared at the hooded boy, "This is a library, Bolton" she sighed exasperatedly, "Can you be quiet, please?"_

_Gabriella cringed as the name Bolton rolled through Mrs. Goldstein tongue. The middle aged blond woman placed both of her hands on each side of her hips and she could actually picture her frowning as she lectured the boy for interrupting everyone else's peace to study._

Please, be another Bolton. Not Troy Bolton.

_"Jeez…" his husky laugh confirmed her that he was in fact the last person she hoped to see inside a library. Troy Bolton, the Wildcats soccer team captain. "Sorry 'bout that Mrs. G"_

Oh no, please no.

_The librarian nodded her head twice and strolled back to her place and Gabriella's eyes locked with the most intense blue orbs she had seen. The jock was still staring at her with a tense gaze, never moving away. Gabriella held her breath and fear induced the sweat and her hands became immediately wet. Her heart boomed in her chest as the cold sweat rolled down her stomach too. The girl could hear her heart beat so fast as she could already imagine what would happen to her for just looking at a jock, for just sitting close to him. Gabriella knew what they did to nerds that stared at them. Anna herself used to say that the one that stares, asks for punishment._

Gosh, she didn't want to be punished.

_Gabriella's legs began to shake as she watched as he looked down at the table and took a deep breath through his mouth, as if he was controlling himself. Troy Bolton closed his book and gathered his belongings. He slowly pushed back the chair and stood up from it, making her gulp._

Please, don't beat me up,_ she thought to herself, _please not today.

_She couldn't think of anything else to tell her mother about the bruises she had on her body after school. Gabriella often invented that she fell or bumped into something, but Jasmine Montez was getting more suspicious as the days passed. She wouldn't be able to keep lying to her own mother forever. She just wanted not to be bruised on her 17 year old birthday. It would take her at least two weeks for it to disappear and tons of make up and she knew her mother would want to take pictures.  
_

_Clenching tight her fists against the palm of her hands under the table, she observed as he walked the ten steps towards her desk, his book securely under his arm and the same piercing gaze on her. Gabriella needed to run and hide behind Mrs. Goldstein, but her brain had stopped and her knees felt tremendously weak._

I'm going to die.

_Troy stopped and seated his book on her table. Putting his hoodie down, he flicked his hair out of his eyes. She watched as his tongue wetted his bottom lip swiftly and his eyes moved down at her. God, he was so tall compared to her. His shoulders were strong and arms too, and she couldn't help but find him attractive. Awesome, she was going to be beaten up by a handsome boy. Oh the joy of being bullied…_

_His large hand cupped the chair and he pulled it, turning it around to sit down in front of Gabriella. Her heart was still beating so fast and so loud it was impossible to breathe normally. Troy rested both of his elbows on the table and leaned forward, frowning as he slowly opened his mouth, just to close it quickly as she seemed to finally snap out of her trance and find the strength to stand up and run far away from there. His reflexes were faster than hers though, and he wrapped one hand around her fist, holding her tightly to her place._

Beg, cry, do anything,_ her mind commanded, _Stand up, slap his hand away. Run!

_"You're Gabriella Montez, right?" his husky voice asked calmly, "Anna's cousin?"_

Uhm, what? Does he really know my name?

_Gabriella struggled to find the way to speak again as he kept looking at her intently, waiting for her confirmation. God, what she had to do to put words together again? Troy frowned as he observed her and she knew he was considering if she was a mental person or not. Her throat felt like swelling and she swallowed quietly and bit her bottom lip._

Say something, damn it.

_"… Yeah"_

_Troy smirked as she finally replied him, "Great. She told me once you went to this school too. You two look very much alike, did you know that?"_

I wish,_ she thought to herself._ God, talk to him, not to yourself, stupid.

_"Uhmm…"_

_He rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably, "Do you happen to know algebra well?" he cocked an eyebrow, "Cuz I gotta finish my homework and I don't have a clue of what to do"_

_"Uhmm…" Gabriella mumbled again, "Y-yeah…"_

_"Great" he grinned, "Could you help me out?"_

What!? No beating up?

_It was funny how a girl that loved to read and had an extended vocabulary like Gabriella Montez couldn't find the way to say simple words like yes and no right now. The guy was beautiful and if that wasn't enough of a reason to intimidate her, he was a jock and was being nice to her… he was asking politely for her to help him out. Oh, that sure was a miracle for jocks from East High School._

_Gabriella nodded helplessly and he quickly opened his book and pushed it towards her direction. She turned it around, letting her eyes scan its page. She reached for his piece of paper and in silence started doing his work._

_What if he was only watching and not actually showing any sign he wanted to learn what the homework was about? She had done the same thing a thousand times before for people that picked on her. Guys and girls that thought they were the most important thing in the world just because they were on top of the social pyramid of school. The kind of person that thought intelligence was a bad thing. _

_At least Troy Bolton asked nicely._

_"So Anna told me it's your birthday this weekend" he tapped his fingertips against the table and she blushed several tones of red as she listened him make conversation, not even considering lifting her eyes from the paper. "The big 17, huh?"_

_"Yeah…" she wrote fervently on his paper, her puffy bottom lip being squeezed by her white teeth nervously. _

Only two more equations…

_"You know what?"_

_She was obliged to look up and meet his piercing blue eyes. A small smile was playing on the captain's lips as he raised a single eyebrow, "I should find a way to thank you for doing my homework. If it wasn't for you, I'd get in trouble with Mr. Harvey"_

_"You don't need to thank me…" she whispered her answer as she finished the last equation, pushed the paper and the book back to him, "I like math"_

_Troy put the piece of paper inside his book and closed it with a loud _thumb_. Gabriella tilted her head to the side to see if Mrs. Goldstein was glaring unhappy at Troy again, but the old librarian was not there anymore. She couldn't help but wonder if he was really that nice or if he was going to act like his friends now that they were alone._

_"Naw… Seriously. I want it" he grabbed his pencil and looked at her, "I'll tell you what, I'm going to be the first one to wish you a happy day, is it cool?"_

_She found herself nodding without thinking. "Cool, give me your number then"_

_He waited patiently till she could remember her mobile number again and wrote it down on the cover of his math book. Troy Bolton, the school God, the most wanted boy at East High raised his hand slowly and, as if it the scene was happening in slow motion in front of Gabriella's eyes, reached for her hand, caressing it lazily, "Thanks for the help"_

_Oh my God. She was going to faint. A Jock was touching her. Touching and sending a pleasurable and lingering sensation to her skin. Not pain. _

_For the first time this year, the day was almost over and she still looked partially alive. That was definitely a day to remember._

* * *

Thinking of him, knowing it was partly his fault she was stuck in a hotel room, far away from her home and scared of her cousin agitated her body. As much as she regretted being here now, she had begged her mother to come. She had pleaded for a weekend off. To hide from Anna in case she wanted to show up at her house with her mother Vanisha. What if Troy told her he asked her help with homework? What if he told her he touched her? She'd kill her.

Gabriella would be dead at 17.

So yeah, she ran off, like the good coward she was. She couldn't remember when her cousin paid attention to her to even mention her birthday for Troy Bolton. She never thought Anna would tell the most popular boy in school that she had a cousin that was a geek.

Gabriella couldn't remember when Anna began to dislike her so much. She still had fresh on her mind the way they played together when they were kids and the fact that they had promised to be best friends forever. Anna used to love her company and now she couldn't stand looking at her. It sucked big time, mostly because when her cousin stopped talking to her, she found herself alone.

In the beginning, she was constantly frustrated. It was not fair to exclude her and pretend she didn't even exist. Anna knew she missed her, but she didn't seem to care. And Gabriella was too nice to argue about it, so she just accepted her decision of not liking her anymore. She could deal with the world alone. Thankfully she met Connor right after the end of her friendship with Anna, and then Taylor came along.

She sighed and sunk in the beautiful night again. If she concentrated enough she could hear her boyfriend's low voice telling her that it was one of those nights to memorize.

"Gosh…" Gabriella mumbled quietly, staring at her cell phone another time. Five more minutes and she'd be 17. She closed her eyes as she felt the nightly wind surround her body and comfort her spirit.

The light knock on her room's door sent her thoughts to the back of her head. The door opened and the older version of her, but with shorter hair and more curves smiled warmly, walking further into her hotel room.

"Are you ready to go out?"

Her face that was glaring back at her mother over her shoulder smiled politely and she turned her body around to go back to the too-heated bedroom. She sat down on the edge of her bed and looked up at her mother, "I'm not really in the mood"

"I brought you to Hawaii on your birthday Gabriella" her mother said in a happy-loud tone of voice, "I have reservations, we need to go out. I want you to have fun"

She couldn't help but roll her eyes, "Okay mama. Give me five and I'll be ready"

Jasmine Montez crossed her arms over her chest and smiled calmly, "Five… yeah, right. I'll be downstairs. Hurry up"

Gabriella nodded and watched as her mother almost ran out of her room. Was she more excited about the birthday than the birthday girl? Ah, probably. She had a heart of a teenager and the mind of a young adult. For her mother's sake, she would have to enjoy the most of the night. She had waited her whole life for her 17 year old birthday.

She would have fun tonight.

Her phone started to ring and she jumped up, making it fly on the bed. She crawled slowly near her pillow as the silver mobile danced against the red itchy blanket. Her hands became sweaty and she wiped it against her jeans, biting her lip roughly. Gabriella knew she should answer the phone, but as the noise became louder and louder, she began to sweat and tremble more.

_Pick it up, come on_, she instructed herself, but her brain couldn't process the information. Her hands were numb, digging to the covers of the bed and holding it so strong that it was like her life depended on it. Her eyes were still focused on the phone, hypnotized by the loud noise and the vibration that it sent to her body. _Damn._

The ringtone gradually grew louder before stopping and her heart beat faster. Did she just really stood there, watching the phone? Man, she had waited the whole weekend to know if he'd call and when someone called her – with a number she didn't know that could possibly be his – she didn't answer it?

"You are so, so stupid—"

A soft _'You've got mail'_ interrupted her and obliged Gabriella to lock eyes at the mobile phone again. It was a text, it was the ringtone she had programmed to ring whenever she received a text.

A TEXT.

t e x t!

_Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God!_

She tilted her head to the side and looked at the alarm clock.

12:01AM.

With shaky hands she collected the phone from the bed and sat down cross legged, running one hand through her dark hair. She breathed deeply through her mouth and opened the phone, pressing the read button nervously. As her eyes scanned the message, her heart skipped a beat and her face grew hot. Ignoring the urge to just pass away, she read it aloud.

"ENTRE TOI ET MOI,  
Happy birthday, miss Montez.  
T.B."

"**I swear I believe,  
I said I swear I believe.**"


	2. Save Me

_This was supposed to be a oneshot, then a two shot, but now it will be a threeshot I guess. I'm not sure yet, but I'm just doing this for fun cuz I never done a fragile Gab, mine are always so strong and decided, lol. Ok, so I hope you enjoy it. Ah, I have two other stories that you guys should definitely read as well - Brantwoods' Cowboy and Inked - yeah, cuz I apparently just want to die writing, lol. Anyway, It would make me pretty happy to have you guys reading my other projects too.... Ok, that's enough. Take caree!_

_Disclaimer: I own nothing.  
_

"**Please open your eyes,  
Help me clear my clouded mind,****  
Won't you tell me that we're gonna be alright.**"

**SAVE ME, **RON POPE.

Gabriella was going to die.

She could feel it in the air, she could smell the scent of her dead body already. No, she was not overreacting, she had confirmation that she was going to die. Anna had warned her Sunday night that her life would be over by Monday afternoon. She was really going to be dead at age 17, without graduating high school, without having a family, without visiting Europe. Why couldn't her mother take her to Europe instead of Hawaii? It was never her dream to go to the beach, she never wanted to lie down on the sand, letting the sun burn her skin as if she was a toast. That was not what she wanted.

Anna, sweet and adorable Anna to everybody – but bitchy Anna to her, had used the same communication device Troy Bolton used to wish her happy birthday on the weekend, to inform her to be ready for her death Monday. The message was direct and short, but it was enough to start the first and last one of her sleepless nights.

She knew she shouldn't have trusted a jock. Troy had failed on protecting their little secret. The only reason Anna would have to take five minutes from her precious life and text her, would be to protect her reputation. The amazing soccer captain she had almost started fangirling about had stabbed her in the heart, with a very, very sharp knife. 

Ignoring her trembling legs, Gabriella stepped inside East High School for the last time of her life. She let her eyes wander around the corridors, saving the colors, the lockers, the doors, the people. She wanted to take it all with her to heaven, or her next life or whatever the place was when you died by the hands of her enemy and own blood. Oh such cruel destiny she had.

Her small hands traced the EH's walls as she walked slowly to her locker, where she knew her cousin would be expecting her. Maybe she could kill herself later, after she said goodbye to Connor and Taylor. She deserved a last wish, didn't she? She was almost certainly she did, she had seen it her entire life in books and movies.

As she spotted the beauty that was Anna Montez and her perfect presence standing in front of her locker, Gabriella felt chills running down her spine. Her heart accelerated and she felt bile rising in the back of her throat. Ah, why her? Why couldn't her cousin pick on someone else? There were so many other dorks around school and she had to be the one she chose. Such bad luck.

Anna walked towards her, closing the small gap between the two Montez, her lips twisting disgustedly as she faced herself in front of her nerd cousin. God only knew what people would say if they saw her talking with Gabriella in the middle of the corridor. Popular people and nerds do not mix. She needed to finish this faster.

"Listen Gabriella…" she began with nasalized voice, wrapping one arm around her cousin's wrist tightly, "I'm going to ask you something and you are going to tell me the truth, or else you really are going to die like I informed you by the text"

Gabriella cringed, not only at the mention of her death again, but at the fact Anna was squeezing her wrist so strongly she was afraid she'd get home with another bruise today and it was only the beginning of the day, school hasn't even started officially. Damn it.

"Anna, you're hurting me…" she said in a small voice, almost pleading, but her cousin only rolled her eyes, "Please, let me go, I'll tell you everything you want to know, but let go of me"

Anna ignored her pleadings and locked her beautiful eyes at her cousin's contorted with pain face, "I bumped into that Greek girl Trisha Papadelias on the mall Saturday and she asked me if you and I were related"

Gabriella gulped slightly at Anna's aggressive tone of voice, but her insides relaxed completely when she realized Troy was not the reason her cousin was angry at her. He had kept their secret, he didn't tell Anna they talked, he never mentioned the fact he held her hand and sent her a text.

"I don't want to believe that you are telling every person in school that you are my cousin, I presume you are wiser than that, aren't you?"

She nodded helplessly and bit her lip weakly, "But it's not really hard to find out we are cousins, Anna…" Gabriella protested softly, "We do have the same last name…"

Anna squeezed her wrist tightly again and Gabriella winced painfully, tears stinging her eyes. "Shush, Gabriella" she searched around for any students, breathing in relief when no one heard what the shorter Montez had just said, "You don't tell we're related out loud even to that dorky boyfriend of yours. You know what, don't even think about it"

"Anna—"

"Gabriella, don't ever pronounce my name, okay? You are trash, garbage" she shook her head slowly, taking her hand off Gabriella as if she just saw herself holding someone that had a fatal disease, "Eww. I touched you"

She bit her lip as she felt tears prickling in the corner of her eyes. Why did Anna need to treat her like that? She knew how much Gabriella loved her, even after everything she done to her. She could still remember all the great times they spent together when they were kids, when they promised they'd be friends forever. All lies that she could not forget yet. She could accept that Anna didn't want to be friends with someone so different than her, but Gabriella would never understand the reason to that.

"Ohh, are you going to cry?" Anna asked teasingly and she looked up for a second, the biggest mistake of her life, to stare at her cousin's mocking expression. Sniffing, she turned around and ran as fast as her legs allowed to the only place she could hide from anyone in East High School. It was the only place she felt safe and free from the constant pain the jocks made her go through.

Her beloved library.

Gabriella pushed the heavy doors open, searching for any sign of someone inside, now walking slowly to the back of the library, a place she used to go everytime she felt like she needed to think. The bigger shelves were the perfect spot for her to be without anyone seeing her, without people laughing or mocking her for being such a baby. She hated to cry because of Anna, she hated to cry because she was bullied. She just wanted High School to be over.

The library was where she loved to be. Surrounded by books, far away from people that just hurt for pleasure. Not even Connor or Taylor knew where she used to hide. They couldn't imagine she loved being in the very far corner of the big library, hidden in the middle of dust and old books that no one ever searched for.

She slid against the dark wooden book shelves, finally letting her body release all the frustration of having another unpleasant encounter with Anna Montez.

Gabriella tilted her head back and breathed through her mouth as she felt hot tears streaming from her eyes and slide down her cheeks.

"Crap…" she mumbled fragilely to herself as a loud sob escaped her puffy lips and she locked eyes with the already red bruise around her wrist, wondering what she'd tell her mother this time. Things would be so easier if she didn't feel so embarrassed to admit she was bullied at school. Maybe her mother could help her, maybe the principal would talk to Anna, who was her bigger problem. But who would believe her? Anna wore the mask of the perfect person so well, she was afraid people would think she was crazy for accusing her.

She snapped out of her misery for a second as the loud _**you've got mail**_ echoed in the empty room, scaring more than ever her already shaky figure. Gabriella retrieved it from her pocket and her eyes scanned the initials on the display: T.B.

Her mind protested that now was not the perfect time to fangirl with a message from the most attractive and popular guy in school and enjoy a bit longer her pain, but her heart accelerated immediately with the idea of receiving another message from him. She wiped her tears from her cheeks delicately and as she was about to press the read button, footsteps interrupted her, obliging her trained eyes to look up at the sympathetic eyes of no one else than Troy Bolton.

"Don't need to read the message anymore" he said calmly, sliding against the shelves opposite to her, sitting cross legged on the floor in front of her, in all his God like presence to her, mere mortal, "I found you already"

Gabriella shouldn't be paying attention to looks when she felt miserable, but Troy Bolton looked so beautiful, even when it was only 7:30 in the morning. Wasn't it a crime to be so handsome? Today his floppy hair was not hidden by the hoodie, instead of it falling freely in his eyes. His face was clean and fresh, as if the bath he took before getting to school was really long. His red t-shirt had a big white Wildcat on it and he wore dark jeans and tennis shoes as usual, as every other jock in school. But Troy was different, no other jock would mind looking for her and sitting with her in a place full of dust that smelled oddly.

"What are you doing here?"

"I followed you" he admitted in a low and pleading voice. Gabriella pursed her lips, her brow wrinkled in curiosity. "Is it too creepy?"

Immediately she shook her head negatively, "I saw you talking with Anna when I arrived and then you ran away. Was she mean to you? That's why you're crying?"

"I am not crying" she protested automatically, but as she felt a tear catch in the corner of her eye, she reached up rapidly and wiped it away with the back of her hand. She looked up at him and he was frowning deeply and Gabriella felt guilty. Why she felt like she couldn't keep secrets away from him?

"Okay…" she whispered, "But just a little"

Troy sat closer to her, till their knees were brushing lightly against the other. Gabriella tried to ignore the feeling like having butterflies inside her stomach as he got closer to her, mostly because she had a boyfriend, one she loved very much. One that even in the beginning of their relationship never gave her butterflies. Or if that was what she was really feeling, because she couldn't put in words her emotions right now.

"Where she hurt you?"

The mass of thoughts inside her head were making her confused. Why did Troy sound so pained as he spoke? Why she felt so weird near him? God, what was happening to herself and her body!

She timidly raised her arm, showing him her dark red wrist. Troy leaned closer, looking intently at her newly made bruise. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger, shaking his head slowly, "This can't happen anymore, Gabriella" he closed his hand around her wrist, caressing with his thumb her sensible skin, soothing immediately her itching bruise, "You can't keep getting hurt"

"Anna was mad because some people know we are related" Gabriella explained in a whisper, biting her lip firmly and holding back a sob that wanted to roll off her mouth, "She gets upset a lot with me"

Troy sighed deeply, "I know. She's very immature some times"

She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at his thumb still stroking her skin gently, "I thought it was your fault… that you told her we talked and she got angry"

He chuckled lightly and raised his free hand to brush her hair out of her eyes, "Gabriella, believe me. I won't tell anyone our secret. It's just between you and me"

"Entre toi et moi" she repeated the words he used on her birthday and looked up at him, her puffy lips curving lazily in a half-smile, "I should have known"

Grinning, he ran his thumb down her cheeks, wiping her tears away, "I heard you have French classes. I thought you'd like it"

She nodded her head, unable to stop the smile from her lips. She watched as Troy observed her, as he raised his hand again to cup her cheek, frowning so deep that Gabriella felt the urge to run her fingers across his forehead and send his worries away.

Her smile faded away as he stopped the caress on her wrist, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing"

"Gabriella—"

"Can I ask you something?" Troy nodded firmly and his hand that once caressed her rested on her knee gently. She could feel every action of his body quicken her blood and agitate her mind. She never realized Troy was so touchy before, she had never seen him as comfortable as he seemed to be with her, sitting in the back of the library, hidden in the middle of books, with Anna or any of his friends. It was so strange to see him like this, as if his life depended of every touch of his hand to her skin. Strange, but yet amazing to think that Troy Bolton craved for her, even a little.

_Oh, you wish Gabriella._

"Why do you want to be my friend Troy?"

"Because" he bit his lip, tilting his head to the side, thoughtful, "You intrigue me. You are different from anyone else in this school. I like it. I wish I could be just like you"

Shock clearly overcame her face as she stared in those big light blue eyes. Her breathing sped up, her mind in awe of what he just said. Troy seemed amused and she knew it was because her eyes were as large as fish eyes. Realization hit her hard – Troy was really a good guy. He was different from any other jock in the school, he was probably the best of them all.

"Why would you want to be like me?" she asked in a whisper and he shrugged.

"Isn't it obvious? You are who you are. You don't wear masks like everyone else just to please people. I'm tired of having to be someone I am not when I'm around them" he pointed with his thumb towards Gabriella, but above her head and to the direction she knew would take her to the library's doors and back to the East High's corridors. "I wish I could be myself with them. But I know they wouldn't like what I am"

"Who's the real Troy Bolton, then?"

Troy looked down as he blushed again, "The real Troy Bolton is right here with you. That's what I am, no masks… as transparent as water"

_Okay, fangirling mode on._ _God help me. _"I like the real Troy then"

"I like what I am when I'm around you too" his large hand stroked her cheek delicately and he let it ran down her arm, capturing her hand that was on her knees and intertwining their fingers, "You make me feel strong. Just as strong as I wanted to be out there… as strong as I want you to be... to face Anna"

"I couldn't"

"People like you can have the world if they want" Troy assured her and she considered asking what kind of person she was, but found herself hypnotized by his gaze, "You are so much better than every other jock here, Gabriella. You just need to believe that"

Gabriella nodded helplessly and he offered her a reassuring smile, his fingers rubbing the palm of her hand, relaxing her body completely, "You don't need to be saved from anyone, only yourself"

He raised their laced hands and touched his lips to the bruise on her wrist. She held her breath as his mouth began to trace the sensible skin at the same time her heart skipped a beat. "If you start believing you don't have to be treated like crap, they won't treat you like that"

"So…" she began slowly, "I'm the main reason I'm drowning in this mess?"

Troy smiled amusedly but let go of her hand, standing up swiftly. Gabriella bit her lip, she wanted him to be there with her forever if possible, just talking, just telling her what she needed to do to be a better person, the person she believed he already was.

"Look around, Gabriella. You're hiding in the library" he shrugged his shoulders, "And I thought you'd be the one to save us all"

"Oh…"

So he believed in her? Since when? Gabriella couldn't remember Troy staring at her, studying her nor even talking to her before. How could he consider her their savior? Why he talked like he knew her so well? God, what the heck was going on?

"Troy?"

"Mmhmm"

"Anna doesn't like me" she stated the obvious, looking up at his calm expression. "She wouldn't tell you anything about me"

"Aren't we a genius, Gabriella?" he asked contently, winking at her and almost making her faint. "It won't take you long to realize some things you should know by now. Just do me a favor"

"Anything" she mumbled automatically.

He crouched down in front of her and their eyes met, so intensely she thought her brain had stopped working. Troy leaned closer again and it seemed he was going to kiss her. She could feel he was going to kiss her. His hot breath tickled her lips pleasurably and she squeezed her eyes shut hard.

_Oh my God. Should I want this as bad as I want? _

Troy sighed loudly, cupping her face with his large hands, moving one hand to the corner of her mouth. His thumb stroked so gently her bottom lip that it was like he never really touched her. For a second she considered it was only her mind playing tricks on her, but it would be just impossible as his finger lingered on her skin.

"Keep your head up. Be the one to save us…" he pleaded in a low and husky voice, "Be my savior"

As she opened her eyes again, Troy was no longer there. Tilting her head back against the books shelves, she breathed deeply through her mouth. She couldn't be dreaming because her skin still conserved the effects of having him so close to her.

_Jesus H. Christ, how did we get here in only a week?_

"**We're screaming through the dark,  
Won't you save me from myself.**"


	3. Nothing Left To Lose

_Disclaimer: I own nothing._

"**Some may leave and some may lie,  
Some they kneel and some they fly,  
Some they lead and some they fall behind,  
With nothing left to lose.**"

**NOTHING LEFT TO LOSE,** RON POPE.

For _Geekriella_, like jocks would refer to Gabriella Montez, the only girl known for getting straight A's without touching a book, the one that was genuinely intelligent, probably since the time she was still inside her mother's belly, all classes were a piece of cake.

All but one.

Physical Education. Gabriella's worst nightmare.

PE equaled torture to almost every geek at East High, a school filled with athletes that dreamed of being pro someday. It was simple how things worked there, some played and the ones that didn't qualify to play sports, wanted to date someone that was good at one. The East High population was severely divided in two groups: the athletic kids and the rest, the ones that couldn't practice sports for nothing in the world.

Gabriella was one of them, practically the leader of them all and the top of the list of clumsiest student at EHS. Since she could remember, PE had been a torture for her, not only because she couldn't find the balance to jump without falling immediately to the floor, almost as if she was being magically attracted back to earth the minute her feet stopped touching the ground, but mainly because she was never a sporty person and constantly let the ball escape her hands, or ever worse, she ended up unintentionally, scoring for the team she wasn't playing to.

If the classes alone and the fact she embarrassed herself too much wasn't enough to punish Gabriella for being like she was, everybody seemed to be in her PE class. Connor, Taylor, Anna and even Troy Bolton. Not that they talked in public, their friendship was still between the two of them, but they were frequently exchanging text massages now. Somehow Troy seemed to be the only person that could understand what she was going through right now.

Truthfully, there was something big happening to her, even bigger than sucking at sports and being hated by the crowd of students after losing the last ball of the game. What bugged Gabriella the most right now was the fact that the whole school seemed to be used to the way things were at East High. Who said sports were the only good thing in the world? What would happen to the human kind if it wasn't for the music, the plays, the books?

The loud sound of her own groan brought her back from her mind's monologue and into the cold reality in front of her eyes. Gabriella blinked twice as her face contorted painfully when her back collided with one of the benches. She bit her lip roughly and looked up, waiting for someone's help, waiting for an apology from the one that hurt her accidentally.

At least she thought it was in the beginning. As soon as she looked up and met the cold gaze of her cousin Anna, she knew her falling was not accidental at all. In fact, if she analyzed well enough, she would state she was clearly pushed because, at least till now, she was not a person to fall when she was just standing still. That didn't happen to her.

"Oops, you fell again Geekriella" Anna smiled calmly, looking around to confirm the PE teacher was still occupied with the boys from the basketball and soccer teams and she was free to do anything she wanted with her cousin without ending in detention. Gabriella ignored the pain in her butt and back and slowly stood up, breathing deeply through her mouth before she could make her way and pass by Anna and back to where Connor and Taylor were standing, looking very scared of Anna and her group of cheerleaders and constant admires.

"Where do you think you're going?" Anna's firm hand wrapped around her arm, pulling her back to where she was standing in the first place, pushing her body back against the wall. Not only once, but constantly as Gabriella tried her best to dodge between her cousin and the cheerleaders to get free of the pain.

"Anna…"

_Push._

"Anna… let me go back to class"

_Push._

"Ha, ha, ha, you call that attending class? You didn't do anything right since the beginning of the game! You scored for Taylor's team, you idiot" Anna teased with her meaning voice, her lips caressing her perfect bottom lip rapidly, her tongue moving in and out of her mouth as if she was a snake, prepared to attack and end Gabriella's life.

"Anna, I'm asking you politely… stop it" Gabriella tried one more time, her back aching with every new encounter her cousin forced her against the wall. Dang, where was the teacher when she needed him the most? Why her best friend and boyfriend kept staring at her without helping?

She breathed through her mouth, her hands trembling furiously as she fought the urge to cry in front of Anna and her friends. Friends, only if they could be called friends.

For Gabriella, they were the devil in person.

High school never seemed more like a jungle than today. Gabriella was the favorite prey, almost like the meal of the day, Anna was the predator and her friends, the great blond and cocky cheerleaders everybody cared about so much, the black vultures that were constantly flying around her, waiting till she was dead meat and could be devoured by them. Because they were sure she'd collapse one day and never find the strength to stand up again. She knew it was what they hoped would happen. Everybody expected it, Anna expected it. She could bet her cousin even counted the days to it.

_Push. _

"Anna" she said in a whisper, "you're hurting me"

Her eyes stared at her with such disgust Gabriella felt tiny. It was though she was really scum, she didn't have the opportunity to be happy, to be in the same environment as they were. And Gabriella hated it. She hated to feel like she was not worth it. Because she was worth it. She was a better person than all of them together - Troy Bolton had told her this and she never thought she'd feel so strong at only thinking about someone's words. Someone that she had just two encounters with; someone that a month ago was untouchable to her.

But Troy, _the Troy Bolton_, believed in her. She saw sincerity in his eyes and his words.

And, surprisingly, that made her feel strong. That feeling, that hope he had in her made her think of herself as a different woman, as if she was really capable of changing their futures... capable of saving them all. In Troy's eyes, she was like a superwoman and she wanted to be like this, to please him and to end her torment. To become a better person, to breath in relief everytime she was in school and passed by a jock. She no longer wanted to be bullied.

"Boo hoo, you're gonna cry?" Anna mocked, that nasalized and extremely irritating laugh escaping her lips and taking Gabriella's nerves to a climax. She had finally understood that the girl in front of her was no longer her best friend. No longer the cousin she saw in her, the one that grew up together with her. Anna Montez had turned into her enemy, the one that caused the biggest pain in her life and haunted her days. Gabriella realized that day that she had nothing left to lose, because her friendship with Anna was already gone and she couldn't be friends with someone that didn't like her. Anna wouldn't change her mind in a blink of an eye... she was very much decided to make her life hell.

"No Anna," her narrowed brown eyes met the eyes of her former best friend and she could swear she saw a glimpse of curiosity in the other Montez's gaze, "I will not cry"

That was it. She did no longer pity herself. Gabriella was just angry this time, pissed off like she never felt before. She could literally feel the madness rushing through her blood, filling not only her body but her soul. She was tired, no... She was exhausted of being treated like shit. She felt confidence boiling inside of her, giving her the encouragement she needed to end this mess already.

She could do it.

She could do it.

_"You can do it, Gabriella" _her mind confirmed and she bit her lip, "_I hope Troy's really right_"

For a second, her eyes wandered around the gym and everybody seemed to be staring at them now. She was surrounded by Anna's friends, her best friend Taylor and as she already expected, her boyfriend Connor Matthews, the one that had promised he'd always be there for her, was no longer in the gym. But she was not thinking of him now. He was not the person she wanted to see. The person that would help her out right now.

And her eyes... her eyes found him easily in the middle of everybody else, in the middle of all the common people in there. The God like boy that had influenced so much the changing that was about to happen in her life. And he gave her strength once again, as if he was whispering that she was capable of doing it. Fighting Anna off was the most risky thing Gabriella Montez would do her entire life, she knew it. She also knew that it was only the beginning of getting free of obstacles in her life, because if she didn't end it up right now, she would lose track of her own life. And she wanted a happy future and she wanted to feel free and safe again. No more hiding, no more fear and no more insecurity.

A new woman was starting to develop inside of Gabriella since she talked to Troy for the last time and was about to come out for everybody else. He believed in her.

"Ooh... I bet you will" Anna pronounced every word paused, her eyebrows raising with amusement, "You always cry... you're a cry baby"

"Nah Anna. You know why I'm not crying? Because you are not worth it" the words rolled off freely from her tongue at the same time the crowd that gathered around the two Montezs groaned in shock and awe. "You were never worth it but for some unknown reason I always thought you were going to wake up one day in a good mood and we'd be best friends again"

Anna's eyes widened as she continued her speech, attracting the attention of the whole student body, even the teacher that had stopped his work with the basketballers and soccer players and came closer to listen to her. She was one representing all now. Her mates, the geeks that were severely damaged since they stepped inside East High for the first time.

"Gabriella..." Taylor warned in a whisper, her whole body trembling as she held her best friend in place, trying to protect her from the danger that was Anna Montez.

"No, Taylor, let go of me" she asked softly, smiling confidently at her best friend, "Aren't you tired of being bullied? Don't you want to come to school without having to hide behind things, aren't you tired of thinking that being intelligent is a curse?" she looked back at her cousin's pale face and half-smiled, "Because Anna, you know what? Being a dumb cheerleader won't help you out of high school. The power you worship so much will only last till you're part of that team" she pointed to the girls behind Anna, "If you all think you can bully people outside of school, I'll tell you what... someday you're gonna scream at someone, and that someone will scream at you... even louder. If you hit that person, she'll hit you back with the same or more strength you have. Because if someday you have a baby, what I'm sure you'll have plenty before you're 25, and one of them are bullied and comes crying to your help, you won't have anything to say, you won't be able to protect your own child because you abused someone's child as well someday. And you're gonna feel like shit... because seriously, you are not better than anyone here" she raised both of her hands in exasperation, her eyes wandering around the gym, the shocked faces mixing with the encouraging looks she received, every single person there helping her out somehow, giving her more strength to fight for something she believed in, "Every person here is special in their own way. Everyone here wants to be able to do what they want, what makes them happy without a bunch of teenager judging them just because they think it's fun. We don't care if you" she pointed to Anna and her cousin flinched, her eyes widened with horror, "can shake your booty, we don't care if you," she pointed to a basketballer, "can shoot a basket... We only mind our own business, and you should mind your own as well. Stop taking care of other people's lives. You know what it seems? That yours' so pathetic that you have to make other's feel bad to have some kind of fun. So do me a favor, prove me your life is better than bullying someone, prove me you're different Anna. Do something productive with your life. We only live once... then live it right"

Gabriella breathed deeply after ending her speech, her heart beating as fast and as loud as ever, "The jocks are not different than us. They share the same passions, they are very friendly when they want...." she looked back, Anna still staring at her, "We share the same blood sometimes..."

A loud 'ooh' filled the room and Anna closed her eyes painfully, the secret she always kept to herself being cruelly reveled in front of her friends and school, the feeling of humiliation filling her body rapidly. If that was what Gabriella felt all the time, then she got it. It sucked. Being embarrassed in front of everybody was a position she never wanted to be again.

"Gabriella..."

"What Anna?" she raised a single eyebrow, "Are you going to yell at me again? Hit me? I'm not afraid anymore—"

"No" she interrupted slowly, shaking her head negatively. "I never knew that's how you felt" she admitted in a whisper, somehow her low words echoing in the entire gym, "I'm....... sorry"

Gabriella's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened as well as she heard the words she never expected to leave her cousin's mouth, at least not towards her, "You… are?"

Anna nodded her head up and down fervently, "I'm sorry for turning your life into hell... the truth is..." she breathed in and out loudly, "I was jealous of what you had..." her frown was so obvious that her cousin rolled her eyes, "I am not the person to tell you that... but I was jealous for a very good reason. You are everything I am not... You are so intelligent and determined and I was wanted to be like you..."

"W..." she rubbed her head confusedly as the words sink in, "Wow... I never thought I'd hear it from you, because I always wanted to be as beautiful or popular as you are..."

"I think we're all learning something here today, kids" the PE teacher said happily, obliging them all to turn their heads and stare at him in curiosity. "You all have brilliant skills and can complete each other if wanted. If you decide to live in peace, I bet high school years are going to be the best memories of your lives...."

The time stopped as Gabriella saw Anna raise her hand and her body automatically flinched, getting used to all the beating that came from her older cousin. Instead of a punch, or a push, or a slap, Anna smiled for the first time at her, not in a mocking way, not because she was watching her contort in pain, she truly smiled and offered her hand.

"Truce?"

Gabriella swallowed the bile that was the entire time in the back of her throat and she never realized and her shaky and cold hand finally made contact with her cousin's warm and feminine one, "Yeah..."

A burst of applause made it impossible for her answer to be heard, but only the fact of the two Montez shaking hands were enough to prove everyone that miracles could happen and that Gabriella Montez had just saved them all. Some people cheered loudly, others wrapped their arms around a few students, celebrating the truce. The atmosphere relaxed completely as everyone's enthusiasm grew intoxicating and the PE teacher laughed out loud, patting his assistant on the back tenderly.

But one person that was not applauding, one guy that had his arms crossed all the time, a proud smile and a relieved expression on his face caught her attention. Before she knew it her legs were taking her towards him, towards the brown haired, blue eyed boy that had started the revolution at East High without even knowing. His grin widened as she approached him, suddenly blushing at the fact she was close to him in front of the entire school.

"I knew you could do it" Troy Bolton's voice was the best sound in the world and echoed pleasurably inside her head several times, almost bursting her eardrum. In one swift moment, she had wrapped her arms around his waist, her forehead touching his muscular chest lovingly, the 'thank you' she wanted so much to say getting stuck as his firms arms embraced her thin body as well, making the bunch of students disappear in a blink of an eye. "You were amazing" he whispered to her, his arms holding her tightly against his frame, "Thank you so much"

"No..." she shook her head furiously, looking up at him with adoring eyes, "THANK YOU. If it wasn't for you I'd never have the strength to fight Anna off"

He smiled tenderly at the same time he touched his lips to her forehead, letting a kiss linger on her skin and assault her body brusquely. Her tummy filled with butterflies as he stroked the side of her head and his eyes became serious, "It was the least I could do after being the reason Anna started picking on you so much..."

"Y... you?"

Troy bit his bottom lip, his eyes rolling involuntary, "I see you didn't do your homework Gabriella" his arms fell numb to the sides of his body and she obliged herself to step back to look him in the eyes. Troy sighed and ran one hand through his floppy hair slowly, as if considering what to say to her. "You see Gabriella.... Anna was mad at you... because I...." he closed his eyes and breathed through his nostrils deeply, "Because I" he reopened his eyes and the most penetrating gaze she had ever seen warmed her body immediately, "I fell in love with you...." he admitted, "I am still in love with you...." he swallowed, "And I kept asking her about you.... what you liked, what you didn't like... and she got mad, because I think she liked me the same way I liked you"

"What...? You... in love... with me?"

"Yes" he confirmed under his breath, "For a long time now..."

"Troy... wow"

He nodded, "I know. I also know you have a boyfriend and I'll respect that... but if you ever break up with him and you feel like going on a date... you should definitely call me... You should come to me" he rubbed the back of his neck and blushed, "Because I'll be waiting for you..." he nodded his head again, clearing his throat and stepping closer to Gabriella to cup her cheek as he planted a kiss to her forehead. As they pulled away, Troy smiled sheepishly, looking around before he chuckled lightly, "I hope you don't mind things are not between the two of us anymore...." she looked around and observed the students scanning them curiously, a sly smile playing on Taylor's lips, not one on Anna's face, but she didn't look mad at least...

And at last, Connor.

Her boyfriend was looking at her with an unknown expression, not pain, not anger, not jealousy. Something she couldn't describe in words. Connor just smiled a tiny smile at her, mouthing a clear 'I understand' that left her confused. What did he understand? What was Connor talking about?

And as she looked down, she realized that her hand was clasped together with Troy's and it fitted perfectly, like hers and Connor's never did. She realized that his warm skin was the perfect combination to her cold one. That the jock and the geek looked really good together.

Gabriella looked at Connor again and he nodded at her, and she saw no more her boyfriend, but just a friend in him. She knew it that moment she was no longer in love with the geek like her. She was in love with Troy Bolton.

"Do you think this could work out?" she asked in a whisper, "Me and you... hanging out... going out"

Troy smirked, "I have no doubts"

"But you're a jock… and I'm a geek"

"You are not only a simple geek, Gabriella" he leaned down, smiling happily as she closed her eyes, anticipating the kiss that was about to come and whispered the words that for the first time in her life made her proud for being who she was and the way she was. "You are the queen of geeks"

"**The things you forgive and learn to forget,  
In the pitch black dark,  
Recall what it meant to believe,  
In things you can't feel with your hands.**"

* * *

_A/N: Just because I loved when Matt said that and Zac kept repeating so proudly, lol. Thanks for reading the story, be sure to check out Inked and Brantwoods' cowboy as well._

_Take care!  
- M_


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